Early People of the Aegean• Crete• Early civilization• Later influenced Greeks

Section 1: Early People of the AegeanMinoans Trade & Prosper

• Minoans – Lived on Crete– Trade not conquest

Knossos

Frescoes

Minoan civilization peaked 1600bc-1500bc

Minoans Frescoes: watercolor

paintings done on wet plaster;

Covered walls of Knossos

• 1400 bc, Minoan civilization vanished Sea was very

important

Section 1: Early People of the Aegean Continued…

• Mycenaeans– First Greek-

speaking people (written record)

– Invaders of Minoans

Dominated Aegean world 1400bc-1200 bc

Sea Traders

The Trojan War

• Started as rivalry between Mycenaean & Troy• Most widely known for the Greek legend of

Paris, Helen, and the Trojan horse • After 10 years of battle, the Greeks finally

seized Troy and burned it to the ground

Around 1250 bc

• Not long after Trojan war, Mycenaens were attacked from sea raiders & Dorians (from the North)

• People abandoned cities• Trade declined• Greek civilization stepped backwards

Greece’s Dark ages1100bc-900bc

Homer and the Great Legends of Greece

• Homer was a blind poet that wandered singing great epics

• 750 bc• Much of what we know of Trojan War & life

during these times

The Iliad• Trojan War– Chief source of info

• Full of gods & goddesses

• Achilles, withdrew from battle because he was insulted by his commander

The OdysseyStruggles of Greek

hero Odysseus on his return home to his wife Penelope after fall of Troy

Encounters sea monster, one-eyed giants, & a beautiful sorceress

Epics reveal values of ancient GreeksHeroes display honor, courage, & eloquence

Section 2: The Rise of Greek City-States

• Balkan Peninsula• Extends into the

Mediterranean Sea• Comprised of hundreds of

rocky islands • Greeks developed polis or

city-statesAncient Greeks didn’t have a large

empireA collection of city-states

(Fiercely defended independence, frequent wars)

Geography Shapes Greece

• Mountains separated city-states but seas linked them to outside world

• Skilled sailors– They traded olive oil, wine, and marble for grains and

metals.

• The Greeks adapted ideas from other civilizations– Alphabet from the Phoenicians

Governing City-States

• 750 bc, rapid population growth & Greeks expanded– On top of the city was the acropolis, or high city.

Temples dedicated to the gods and goddesses were located here.

– Beneath the acropolis was the marketplace and homes

Governing City-States

• Citizens shared a sense of responsibility• Free men spent much time in marketplace

debating• Whole community joined festivals honoring

gods/goddesses• Male landowners held all political power

Types of Government

Governing City-States

Types of Government

• Monarchy- A hereditary ruler with central powers.

• Aristocracy- Rule by hereditary landowning elite.

• Oligarchy- Power is in the hands of a small wealthy elite.

Warfare• 650bc, iron weapons replaced bronze– Cheaper– Ordinary citizens could afford weapons, shields,

helmets, etc.

• Phalanx– Tactical military formation with armed foot soldiers